Sega is inviting anyone who is hyped up over Jet Grind Radio's impending release to compete in their "Graffiti is Art" contest. The contest, being held on Oct. 21, calls for Sega fans to draw up their own piece of graffiti on a piece of paper and send it in to the company, where it will be judged.

These five graffiti artists were able to make their impact in San Francisco on October 21st. As finalists in our "Graffiti is Art" Contest, they had 3 hours to re-create their best work on canvas at Justin Hermann Plaza in an art battle for $5,000. The contest was held to celebrate Jet Grind Radio, Sega's new futuristic urban action title in which graffiti artists bomb around Tokyo-to and Grind City on electromagnetic skates performing tricks, outrunning rival crews and outsmarting an oppressive city government - all in the name of free expression. The Sega contest served as a platform for these five finalists to display their best work and send the message that graffiti, when done legally, can be an artform. Sega made a $5,000 donation to a youth art program and also donated a portion of game sales toward cleaning up illegal vandalism in San Francisco.

The Mayor's office has decided to crack down on a promotion for Sega's Jet Grind Radio in an attempt to demonstrate the city's recent "zero tolerance" policy towards graffiti. San Francisco, a historically cultural center for diversity and open-minded attitudes towards the arts, is apparently becoming the hate monger of the western sea-board when it comes to one medium that has been made famous for its general acceptance. Graffiti has been targeted by the Mayor's office in recent statements issued, and according to an article in this morning's San Francisco Chronicle (a leading local newspaper), Sega of America was publicly condemned for their upcoming street party and graffiti contest. Sega is still a bit perplexed by the mayor's stance.

In addition to being angry that San Francisco-based Sega might be encouraging graffiti vandals, the Brown administration was a little red-faced because the city granted a permit for the mural contest to take place on city property at Justin Herman Plaza. It will also occur at roughly the same time a group of city-organized volunteers will be working at removing graffiti just a few blocks away.

"It's probably too late to stop this, but we're going to press them to take this promotion out of San Francisco," Brown press secretary P.J. Johnston said. He said Sega was sending the wrong message -- that San Francisco tolerates graffiti.

"It's really, really irresponsible. I expect better from Sega," Brown said from Sacramento, where he was attending meetings. "We think Sega would like to be a responsible corporate citizen and that this is just a mistake on their part," Johnston added.

But Sega, the electronic game-maker, doesn't see things that way. "Sega believes graffiti is art," said company communications manager Gwen Marker. "Graffiti as an act of vandalism is a crime, but Sega is providing an alternative for graffiti artists. It's important to make a distinction between graffiti art and graffiti vandalism," Marker said.

We here at SEGA love self-expression, and what better way to express yourself than to design some digital graffiti for our upcoming release Jet Set Radio!!!

This is your chance to become a part of videogame history! We’re looking for 18 winning pieces of graffiti to add to the game. So break out your favorite graphics program, flex that artistic muscle of yours, and take a shot at winning this fabulous Jet Set Radio prize pack – including two digital copies of the game for either the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system or the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, a Jet Set Radio branded hoodie, a Jet Set Radio branded beverage shaker, and the Etón Rukus Solar – Portable Blue Tooth Sound System with Solar Panel!